In 1916, the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death coincided with World War I, although the United States had not yet entered the conflict, yet both the US and European combatants on both sides of the war took time to honor Shakespeare and his works.

As October comes to an end, we celebrate food, drink, and culture in the German cities of Shakespeare’s day, including the creation of beer and wine and the harvest festivals each fall, marked by our modern-day tradition of Oktoberfest.